FF – my parents Z”L are indeed buried in Beth David, but in a family plot, not Shul chelek. Yes, Henna’s mom was Rita Baum. I do remember that for sure. She was a lovely lady, as I recall. I don’t remember Kreindel or Shprintzi Lowy for some reason, only Pinchas Elya. Paula O”H was part of our chevra, a little quieter and shyer than the others, but a beautiful and sweet girl, with wonderful middos. That made her tragic petirah even more of a klop to us. I remember my mother O”H weeping like she had lost a family member. It is amazing the memories that come to mind, unbidden.
Less Chumras – I didn’t want to move. My family was one of the last families to move off a block that had become increasingly nisht unzerer, however. We really were the last holdouts and eventually moved to Long Island. I was sad to leave, because I was only just turned 11 (now that I think about it), and my perspective of life was very different from what it really was. It was time to move to a growing Jewish neighborhood, and that’s what we did. My parents had very close friends in the area that they chose, or its immediate environs, and the price of homes was phenomenal in those days. I think they paid 25K for the house, which is now selling for 800K, the last I heard (too bad I am not the one selling it) 🙁 .
Fastforward, perhaps the MODs can e-mail our respective e-mail addresses to each other. I am maskim. I have already re-connected with one close friend through the CR, and would love to re-meet another possible one. MODS, that would be a nice improvement in the CR, to allow people to privately contact each other, if both parties request same.